Tag: Jeff Kessler

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.—One day after Convergint Technologies acquired New York-based systems integrator Total Recall, Total Recall president Jordan Heilweil was boarding a plane to meet a new customer in Savannah, Ga.“We're working on projects together, right from the starting line,” Heilweil told Security Systems News. “A lot of acquisitions involve a lot of internal changes and take a while to integrate,” he said, but that is not the case with this deal. “Very little...

THOROFARE, N.J.—In a transaction valued at $443 million, Checkpoint Systems, a supplier of retail security and asset management solutions, today announced that it has agreed to be acquired by CCL Industries, a specialty packaging solutions company, for $10.15 per share in cash.It's a deal that integrators who do retail security will be interested in, Imperial Capital's Jeff Kessler told Security Systems News.Checkpoint Systems directly competes with Tyco's Sensormatic division, and to a lesser...

Ascent Capital Group's stock price rose yesterday, on news of the ADT/Apollo deal. I asked Imperial Capital's Jeff Kessler about the stock's jump and he characterized it as a “knee jerk reaction to the fact that the only other company in the United States that's public, being traded, is being taken over.” Yesterday (Feb. 16) Ascent's stock price rose as high as 49 percent over its previous close of (Feb. 12) of $8.27 per share.  Yesterday's high was $12.29. The stock closed at $11.00...

STOCKHOLM—Network video provider Axis Communications on Feb. 1 announced the acquisition of Citilog, a provider of intelligent real-time video monitoring for traffic and transportation security and safety.“This is a big thing in video surveillance, adding more intelligence and integration to mid-level and higher-end projects,” Jeff Kessler of Imperial Capital told Security Systems News.“This allows Axis to offer more tools and more value-add to its integrators,” Kessler...

NORTH CANTON, Ohio—Securitas has agreed to buy Diebold's North America-based electronic security division for $350 million. The divestiture by Diebold is aimed to better position it to pursue growth in the self-service industry, it said. For Securitas, the purchase "will bring added value to our customers" with added levels of protective services.The deal, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016.Diebold Electronic Security has current annual...

YARMOUTH, Maine—Google, in March of this year, acquired patents relating to residential security. Twelve months earlier, Google acquired the smart home thermostat Nest. Is Google planning a big move into the security space? Should the industry be nervous? Security Systems News readers were evenly divided among those who are worried, those who are not worried and those who plan to worry about Google if and when it gets seriously involved in the industry.“Google has an ability to market...

NEW YORK—Apollo Global Management, a $163 billion private equity group, is in talks to acquire Protection 1 and ASG, with the goal of combining the two companies, a source close to the deal told Security Systems News.Nothing has been finalized in the deal, the source said. Final bids for ASG were due May 11. “Two viable parties, one of which is Apollo,” are bidding on ASG, the source said.“Apollo Global Management is one of the top three largest private equity funds today...

TOKYO—In a bid that industry analysts told Security Systems News is intended to get Canon to increase its $2.8 billion offer for Axis Communications, Elliott Management, a New York hedge fund, increased its stake in Axis to 10.91 percent and has not yet sold those shares to Canon.Canon now owns 84 percent of Axis shares. On April 24, Canon extended the offer period a second time, from the original April 15 to May 5. Canon said it would neither extend the offer period again nor raise its offer...

AUSTIN, Texas—Secure identity provider HID Global has acquired Quantum Secure, a provider of identity management software. Denis Hebert, HID Global CEO, told Security Systems News that the deal brings an important new capability to HID.“We have added to the overall equation,” Hebert said. “Together [HID and Quantum represent] a much more powerful and valuable proposition.”Imperial Capital's Jeff Kessler concurred, calling Quantum Secure “the last step [HID] needed...

YARMOUTH, Maine—Google's venture into home security and automation may turn out to be a very good thing for traditional resi companies, according to providers interviewed by Security Systems News.That's not to say it won't pose challenges, maybe even some big ones, but any sound company that has solid customer service and stays on its technological toes shouldn't fear Google's foray, they said. Monitoring companies could stand to benefit, too.“I love it,” Select Security's president...